Small Arms in the States

Ian Grant

12/3/2014

Small Arms in the U.S.

     With the right to own firearms in America, there has been a growing occurrence of civilian casualties from misuse of these firearms. Wars and conflict provide firearms that last for decades without decay or getting rid of them. This growing availability of weapons has been the cause for over 90% of civilian casualties in the last two decades. Gun control must be implemented soon if we want to see improvements to these figures and to protect our civilians from dangerous firearms.

The growing availability of small arms has been a major factor in the increase in the number of conflicts, and in hindering smoother rebuilding and development after a conflict has ended. It is estimated, for example, that there are around half a billion military small arms around the world. Of that half a billion, some 300,000 to half a million people around the world are killed by them each year. They are the major cause of civilian casualties in modern conflicts. "Modern conflicts claim an estimated half a million people each year (iansa.org). 200,000 of these civilians are killed from homicides and suicides and over eighty percent of all these casualties have been civilian. Ninety percent of all civilian casualties are caused by small arms (Oxfam.org). These figures are far higher than the casualty count from conventional weapons.  War related weapons such as tanks, bomber jets or warships. 

Black market trade is also adds to the amount of military weapons put on the streets. "An estimated $2-10 billion U.S. dollars are spent a year on small arms traded through the black market" (iansa.org) Civilians purchase more than 80% of all the firearms that are currently manufactured worldwide each year. There are at least 639 million firearms in the world today, of which 59% are legally held by civilians. What does this say for the people causing the casualties? The main people purchasing these firearms are the civilians whom are also the main victims. We may have the right to bear arms but these figures show that maybe owning guns isn't a proper way of solving this causality issue. We must find a way to regulate these weapons being poured into our society, the more available they become, the harder it will be to protect ourselves from the growing rate of deaths caused by small arms related deaths

     A few solution can be related to gun control, but ultimately it is up to the civilians to regulate themselves and be cautious of those owning firearms. The police and government are doing there part to take as many guns off the streets as possible. Further actions will be needed to crack down on black market purchases and other illegal deals providing guns. Civilians must do their part along side of the police to bring awareness of the dangers and harm that firearms have on our society.

Fracking in the U.S.

Ian Grant
12/3/2014

Fracking in the U.S.

     The U.S. is known for borrowing materials and using unorthodox methods to extract materials the country needs. Oil is a general material that America gets both by borrowing from other countries and using drilling and fracking to extract oil in reserves located beneath U.S. soil. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is an innovative and cost-saving process for drilling oil and gas from rock formations far underground. Michigan is where most of the fracking in the states occurs due to large shale deposits located there. Proponents say fracking is safe and note its positive impact on the state economy. Critics say the process carries risks, both known and unknown, concerning water supply and public health and should be more closely monitored by regulatory agencies.

     Supporters see Fracking as a way to boost economic growth and allow America to become self-sustained with fossil fuels. There are enough fossil fuels “locked” in bedrock shale formations under North American soil to make the United States energy independent, and a net exporter of oil and gas, in the future. Tapping those energy sources would make the United States less dependent, economically and politically, on unstable countries such as Venezuela and the Middle East. It would also enable the West to be less dependent on Russian natural gas, which Vladimir Putin currently uses as a political lever. According to the Natural Gas Industry (NGI), they feel that fracking is a safe procedure because it is located far below the water table during extraction posing minimal risks to groundwater.

     Those against fracking would state how the pumping in fact does pose a large risk on groundwater contamination because of the procedure use and the disclosure of company chemical lists to the public. As well as the depletion of the groundwater table poses a risk for the current and future water supply. Because fracking involves pumping a concoction of water, sand and chemicals into the ground to break apart the bedrock, environmentalists and private landowners worry that those chemicals could reach, and poison, the groundwater. Also, companies are not required to disclose the chemicals they use, or the formula of the mixture, in the process. This makes it difficult for local residents to prepare for an accident or emergency, and difficult for scientists to gauge the threat posed by the chemicals if an epidemic does arise. In Michigan, is required to remove an estimated 35 million gallons of freshwater from nearby aquifers per fracking well which is the highest rate in the nation. There increases in the demand for fuel and oil each year which can result in more drilling which could deplete our local water supplies.

     Fracking is a beneficial process for extracting fossil fuels efficiently. It allows for the U.S. to become more self-sustaining with power and energy, but may cause more damage to the environment that good for the economy. It could cause mass contamination that could poison or deplete our water supply. The cities won't survive or prosper if the water supply is tampered with. Precautions must be taken to either cut-down or increase monitoring of fracking sites to ensure safety for the public.